This article lists the birds found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. 583 species of birds have been spotted in Tamil Nadu. The list also sometimes includes the local Tamil name in italics or the Tamil name in Tamil script following the English common name. This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of the IOC World Bird List, version 11.2. This list also uses British English throughout. Any bird names or other wording follows that convention.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fit within any of these categories.
(A) Accidental - also known as a rarity, it refers to a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Tamil Nadu - typically less than ten confirmed records (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Tamil Nadu as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
Ducks, geese, and swans
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
Fulvous whistling duck, பெரிய சீழ்கை சிறகி (A) Lesser whistling duck, சிறிய சீழ்கை சிறகி Bar-headed goose, பட்டைத்தலை வாத்து Greylag goose Knob-billed duck, செண்டு வாத்து Ruddy shelduck, கருடதாரா (A) Cotton pygmy goose, அல்லிச் சிறகி Garganey, வெண்புருவ வாத்து (அ) நீலச்சிறகி Northern shoveler, ஆண்டி வாத்து Gadwall, கருவால் வாத்து (A) Falcated duck Eurasian wigeon, நாமத்தலை வாத்து Indian spot-billed duck, புள்ளி-மூக்கு வாத்து Northern pintail, ஊசிவால் வாத்து Eurasian teal, கிளுவை Pink-headed duck, இளஞ்சிவப்பு தலை வாத்து Red-crested pochard Common pochard Ferruginous duck, வெள்ளைக்கண் களியன் Tufted duck, குறுங்களியன்
Pheasants and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.
Painted francolin, வர்ண கௌதாரி Grey francolin, கௌதாரி Common quail, காடை Rain quail, கருங்காடை King quail Jungle bush quail, புதர் காடை Rock bush quail, மலைக்காடை Painted bush quail, வர்ண காடை Red spurfowl, சுண்டங் கோழி Painted spurfowl, வர்ண சுண்டங் கோழி Grey junglefowl, காட்டு கோழி Indian peafowl, நீல மயில்
Frogmouths Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Podargidae
The frogmouths are a group of nocturnal birds related to the nightjars. They are named for their large flattened hooked bill and huge frog-like gape, which they use to take insects.
Sri Lanka frogmouth
Nightjars
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
Great eared nightjar Jungle nightjar, காட்டுப் பக்கி Jerdon's nightjar, நீண்டவால் பக்கி Indian nightjar, சின்ன பக்கி Savanna nightjar
Treeswifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Hemiprocnidae
The treeswifts, or crested swifts, are closely related to the true swifts. They differ from the other swifts in that they have crests, long forked tails and softer plumage.
Crested treeswift, kondai uzhavaran
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Indian swiftlet White-rumped spinetail White-throated needletail Brown-backed needletail Asian palm swift, panai uzhavaran Alpine swift, malai uzhavaran Common swift Blyth's swift Little swift House swift, nattu uzhavaran
Bustards Order: OtidiformesFamily: Otididae
Bustards are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They are omnivorous and nest on the ground. They walk steadily on strong legs and big toes, pecking for food as they go. They have long broad wings with "fingered" wingtips and striking patterns in flight. Many have interesting mating displays.
Great Indian bustard Lesser florican, varagu kozhi
Cuckoos
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Many are brood parasites.
Greater coucal, shenbagam Lesser coucal Sirkeer malkoha, chevvaayan Blue-faced malkoha, pachai vayan Chestnut-winged cuckoo Jacobin cuckoo, sudalai kuyil Asian koel, kokilam Asian emerald cuckoo Banded bay cuckoo, senkkuyil Plaintive cuckoo, kuyil Grey-bellied cuckoo Square-tailed drongo-cuckoo Fork-tailed drongo-cuckoo Large hawk-cuckoo Common hawk-cuckoo, akka kuyil Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo Lesser cuckoo Indian cuckoo, kuyil Common cuckoo
Sandgrouse
Order: PterocliformesFamily: Pteroclidae
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. Their legs are feathered down to the toes.
Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, kal kowdhari Painted sandgrouse, varna kowdhari
Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Rock dove Nilgiri wood pigeon, nilagiri kattu pura Oriental turtle dove Eurasian collared dove, kalli pura Red collared dove, thavittu pura Spotted dove, pulli pura Laughing dove Common emerald dove, pancha varna pura Orange-breasted green pigeon Grey-fronted green pigeon, சாம்பல் நேற்றிப் புறா Yellow-footed green pigeon, pachai pura Green imperial pigeon, peria pachai pura Mountain imperial pigeon, mandhi pura
Rails, crakes, and coots
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Slaty-breasted rail, neela maarbu sambang kozhi Common moorhen, thaazhai kozhi Eurasian coot, naamak kozhi Grey-headed swamphen, neela thazhai kozhi Ruddy-breasted crake, sivappu kaanaan kozhi Brown crake Baillon's crake Little crake, chinna kaanaan kozhi Slaty-legged crake, kaanan kozhi Watercock, thanneer kozhi White-breasted waterhen, kambul kozhi
Grebes
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Little grebe, முக்குளிப்பான் Great crested grebe, பெருங்கொண்டை முக்குளிப்பான் Black-necked grebe, கருந்தொண்டை முக்குளிப்பான்
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
Greater flamingo, பெரிய பூநாரை Lesser flamingo, சிறிய பூநாரை (A)
Buttonquail Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Turnicidae
The buttonquail are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young.
Common buttonquail, kurung kaadai Yellow-legged buttonquail, manjalkaal kaadai Barred buttonquail
Stone-curlews and thick-knees Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.
Indian stone-curlew, kankiledi Great stone-curlew
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
Eurasian oystercatcher
Stilts and avocets
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Black-winged stilt, nedungaal ullan Pied avocet, konamookku ullan
Plovers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Yellow-wattled lapwing, manjal mookku aalkatti Grey-headed lapwing Red-wattled lapwing, sivappu mookku aalkatti Pacific golden plover, kalporukki uppukkothi Grey plover, sambal uppukkothi Common ringed plover Little ringed plover, pattani uppukkothi Kentish plover, siriya uppukkothi Lesser sand plover, manal nira uppukkothi Greater sand plover Caspian plover
Painted-snipes Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Rostratulidae
Painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but more brightly coloured.
Greater painted-snipe, mayil ullan
Jacanas
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Jacanidae
The jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat.
Pheasant-tailed jacana, neela vaal ilai kozhi Bronze-winged jacana, thamarai ilai kozhi
Sandpipers and snipes
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Eurasian whimbrel, ciru kottan Eurasian curlew, peria kottan Bar-tailed godwit, pattaivaal mookkaan Black-tailed godwit, karuvaal mookkaan Ruddy turnstone, kalthiruppi ullan Great knot Red knot (A) Ruff, pedhai ullan Broad-billed sandpiper, agandra alagu ullan Curlew sandpiper, curlew ullan Temminck's stint, pachai kaal kosu ullan Long-toed stint Spoon-billed sandpiper (A) Red-necked stint Sanderling Dunlin Little stint, kosu ullan Asian dowitcher Eurasian woodcock, malai mookkan Jack snipe, korai ullan Wood snipe Pin-tailed snipe Great snipe (A) Common snipe, visirivaal ullan Terek sandpiper, terek ullan Red-necked phalarope, chengazhuthu ullan Common sandpiper, ullan Green sandpiper, aatru ullan Grey-tailed tattler (A) Common redshank, pavazha kaali Marsh sandpiper, chinna pachai kaali Wood sandpiper, pori ullan Spotted redshank Common greenshank, pachai kaali
Crab-plover Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Dromadidae